Device of the crane type for the loading and unloading of magnetic materials



April 29, 1941.

F. H. WEEKS E-rAl. 2,239,750 DEVICE OF THE CRANE TYPE FOR THE LOADINGAND UNLOADING OF MAGNETIC MATERIALS Filed Feb. 3, 1940 BY JM @WVATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 29, 1941 UNTEQ STATES PATENT QFFICE.

DEVICE OF THE CRANE TYPE FOR THE LOADING AND UNLOADING OF MAGNETICMATERIALS Francis H. Weeks, Haworth, and Richard B. Weeks, Rutherford,N. J.

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices ci thecrane type for the loading and unloading of magnetic materials.

For the purpose of loading or unloading materials, such as scrap ironand the like, and particularly when loading into ships holds, loadingreceptacles are commonly used. These loading receptacles are transportedbaci; and forth between the place of loading and place oi deposit of 11eload by means or" a suitable crane type device, i. e., a devicepermitting the raising and lowering of a load and having the addedcapacity of moving such load in a horizontal or lateral direction. Theloading receptacle, in the case of mag.. netic materials such as ironand the like, is usually lled or loaded by means of a suitableelectromagnet. Hitherto 4it has been necessary to use two separatecranes, one for the loadingT receptacle and one for the loading magnetdesigned to fill that receptacle.

One object ci the invention comp-rises, inter alia, a device of thecrane type, equipped with a loading receptacle as well as a loadingmagnet, thereby eliminating the necessity for two separate cranes. Thisand further objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription read in conjunction with the drawing which represents aschematic illustration of one embodiment ci the device in accordancevwith our invention.

As shown in the drawing, I represents an electromagnet oi the typecommonly used for loading magnetic materials such as scrap liron and thelike. A magnet hoisting cable 2 actuated by drum 3 passes over and issuspended from roller ll at the tip of arm or boom 5. A scale box orloading receptacle 6 resting for instance on the scrap pile l, issecured to the receptacle hoisting cable 8 by means of chains 9, hooksI0 and ring or the like II, the hoistingV cable 8 being actuated bywinding drum l2. Cable I5, actuated by winding drum and adapted to movethe magnet out of the way of the loading receptacle, is for exampleattachedV to the magnet at Ill adjacent the magnet suspension chains I3.A cable I5 suitably attached to the hoisting cable 2. suchk as by meansof a block, ring or the like 2i, is connected by way of roller ll, to anidler arrangement composed. of counterbalance I8 moving on guide rail l@secured to crane arm 2B.

The structure in accordance with the invention lis thus distinguished bythe fact. that it possesses bothl a magnet and a loading receptacleerably at points in close proximity to one another.

In the practical application of our invention the loading receptacle isplaced in the usual manner onto a suitable place of deposit by means ofthe crane. We have found it of advantage and prefer to use a loadingreceptacle of the releasable iront-suspension, smooth bottom, scale boxtype as is for example disclosed in our Patent No. 2,159,065. Such scalebox, having a smooth bottom, a back, two sides and an open end, carriessuitable suspension means, secured to the back, and at least onesuspension cable or chain., releasably attached to each side, near thefront of the receptacle. This construction, apart from theadvantagesinherent in the same in connection with the loading of ships holds, hasthe additional advantage that the receptacle may be placed onto a placeof deposit, in a manner which will move the receptacle hoisting cableaway from a vertical position, thus permitting the placing or the magnetwith a minimum of interference with the rigging of the loadingreceptacle. This may be achieved by lowering the front of the scale boxonto, for instance, a scrap pile, with the top of the boX facing thecrane, and thereafter tipping the box away from the crane onto the pile.

After the loading receptacle is lowered onto a convenient place ofdeposit, such as, for instance, the scrap iron pile 'I, the hoist-ingcable 3 is` slacliened andi the hooks I0, if a releasable frontsuspension receptacle is used, are thereupon released. The hoistingcable 8 is siackened to an extent suiiicient to permit a relatively freemovementI of the boom or arm 5 without moving the receptacle from itsplace of deposit.

or arm 5, or, alternatively, by a combination i of both theseexpediente. It is equally possible to pick up magnetic material by meansof the magnet from points beyond the loading receptacle in the directionaway from the crane. This may be accomplished if desired by a tipping ofthe boom or arm 5. It will be thus seen that suspended from a commoncrane arm and Dref- V theV magnet may' be USEd t0 PCk UD loads flOmpractically every point ol' the scrap pile. For maximum eiliciency, itis of advantage to so select the place of deposit; for the receptacle,when placing the same directly onto the pile of magnetic material, thatthe magnet is able to pick up loads from points in the immediatevicinity of the receptable. After the electro-magnet has picked up itsload from the pile, the magnet is swung into position above the loadingreceptacle, whereupon, after the lowering of the magnet to a suitableheight, the material transported by the same is released into theloading receptacle by cutting off the current supply to the magnet.

The afore-described procedure, of swinging the magnet into loadingposition, picking up a load of magnetic material, transporting such loadto a point above the receptacle and releasing the load into the same, isrepeated until the loading receptacle is substantially lled. The cranemust now be made ready to function as a loading crane in combinationwith a loading receptacle. For this purpose it is necessary to move themagnet and preferably also the magnet hoisting cable out of the way ofthe loading receptacle. This may be accomplished in various ways. Asillustrated in the drawing the magnet and magnet hoisting cable aremoved out of the way of the loading receptacle by means of the cable I5actuated by the winding drum 25. pulled in by the cable l5 and themagnet hoisting cable 2 is preferably slackened. Though not absolutelynecessary it is of advantage to suitably pull back the slackened magnethoisting cable 2 which may be accomplished as illustrated in the drawingin a substantially self-adjusting manner by means of the cable I6secured to the magnet hoisting cable 2 by means of the block or ring 21.The slack will be automatically pulled in by the counterweight I8slidably engaged on track I9; the weight is attached to the cable I6which passes over a roller or the like IT. The position of the magnethoisting cable and idler, when the magnet hoist is in substantiallyslackened position, is, for instance, illustrated in the drawing indotted outline.

Once the magnet, preferably together with its hoisting cable, is out ofthe Way, the crane may be used in the ordinary manner for transportingthe loading receptacle to the place where its load is to be deposited,such as a ships hold or the like. When using the preferred .releasablefront suspension type receptacle, the disconnected suspension cables orchains must be re-attached before the loaded receptacle is lifted.

Though we have described, in the specific illustrative embodiment of ourinvention, a cable, attached to the magnet or to the magnet hoistingcable, as the means for moving the magnet and receptacle hoisting cableaway from each other, it is possible, and within the purview of ourinvention, to use any other suitable means for this purpose. Instead ofmoving the magnet, preferably together with the magnet hoisting cable,away from the receptacle hoist, as hereinbefore described in connectionwith the drawing, it is sometimes of advantage and specific practicesmay recommend either a procedure in which the receptacle hoisting cablemay be moved away by suitable means from the magnet or a procedure inwhich both the receptacle hoisting cable and the magnet are moved awayfrom each other by proper means. It is sometimes also possible toaccomplish the desired removal of the magnet out of the way of theloading receptacle by de- The magnet is Uta-king up any slack of saidflexible magnet positing the magnet in a suitable place of deposit awayfrom the resting place of the loading receptacle. It is then advisableto pay out the magnet hoisting cable and any other cable attached to themagnet or its hoisting cable commensurate with the movement of the cranearm or boom while transporting the loading receptacle to the place ofdeposit for its load and to take in such hoisting and other cables whilethe loading receptacle returns. Alternatively, it is possible tosufiiciently slacken such hoisting and other cables and to provide forsuitable means to pay out and take in such slack as required by thecrane arm or boom operation during such transport.

'I'he term hoisting cable, or such similar expression, referred to inthe specification and claims is used in its broadest sense and isintended to include any cable, wire, rope, chain or any other means bywhich an object may be freely suspended from, and lowered and liftedrelative to, a given point above such object.

The foregoing description is by way of illustration and not oflimitation, and we are to be limited only by the appended claims inwhich we have endeavored to claim broadly all inherent novelty.

We claim:

1. In a device of the crane type for the loading and unloading ofmagnetic materials, the improvement comprising a loading magnet, ahoisting cable for said magnet, a loading receptacle, a hoisting cablefor said receptacle, both said hoisting cables being suspended from acommon crane arm in proximity to one another, and means forindependently actuating each of said hoisting cables, said magnet andsaid magnet hoisting cable being wholly independent of said loadingreceptacle and said receptacle hoisting cable .to permit the freelateral movement of said magnet and said receptacle hoisting cableindependent of each other.

2. In a device of the crane .type for the loading and unloading ofmagnetic materials, the improvement comprising a loading magnet, ahoisting cable for said magnet, a loading receptacle, a hoisting cablefor said receptacle, both said hoisting cables being suspended from acommon crane arm in proximity to one another, means for independentlyactuating each of said hoisting cables and means for moving said magnetand said receptacle hoisting cable apart.

3. In a device of the crane type for the loading and unloading ofmagnetic materials, the irnprovement comprising a loading magnet, ahoisti ing cable for said magnet, a loading receptacle,

hoisting cable for said receptacle, both said hoisting cables beingsuspended from a common crane arm in proximity to one another, means forindependently actuating each of said hoisting cables and means formoving said magnet in a substantially lateral direction away from saidreceptacle hoisting cable.

4. In a device of the crane type for ythe loading and unloading ofmagnetic materials, the improvement comprising a loa-ding magnet, asubimity to one another, means independently actuating each of saidhoisting cables, means for moving said magnet together with said magnethoisting cable in a substantially lateral direction away from saidreceptacle hoisting cable and means for hoisting cable in a directionaway from said receptacle hoisting cable.

5. In a device of the crane type for the loading and unloading ofmagnetic materials, the improvement comprising a loading magnet, asubstantially exible hoisting cable for said magnet, a loadingreceptacle, a hoisting cable for said receptacle, both said hoistingcables being suspended from a common crane arm in proximity to oneanother, means for independently actuating each 10 of said hoistingcables, a cable on said magnet for swinging sai-d magnet and magnethoisting cable away from said receptacle hoisting cable, means forlengthening and shortening said cable on said magnet, and a cable onsaid magnet hoisting cable passing over guide means and connected to acounter Weight suflcient to take in any slack of said magnet hoistingcable in a direction away from said receptacle hoisting cab-le.

FRANCIS H. WEEKS. RICHARD E. WEEKS.

